Research On The History Of Beijing Urban Canals And Water Systems

Beijing is one of the greatest ancient cities in the world and is famous for its long history. Not only the Palace Museum, but also the water system, include the channels and the rivers, are the representation of its shiny civilization. In the more than 1000 years, from Jin Dynasty to Qing Dynasty, the channel system and the other water systems which served for the Channel and been formed. Such a water system, include lakes, rivers, channel and other attachment buildings, around the Beijing City and had played very important rules in proving the development of the city.Before Jin dynasty, as national capital of the duke under an emperor, and then as the northern important strategic place, some canals were canalized to transport some goods. In Jin Dynasty, Beijing became the capital city, the goods need to transport was increasing in a large amount. Since then, Beijing was regarded as the transport center by the artificial canals.In Jin Dynasty, the ruler wanted to transport various kinds of goods and materials of the North China Plain to Beijing, the government managed to dredge Cao river (漕河) , and canalize Zha river (闸河) and Jinkou river (金口河) successively. But they did not settle the problems well of canals water source all the time in Jin Dynasty.A.D. 1283, Yuan Dynasty unified China, and made the capital at the Northeast of Zhongdu in Jin, because there had more superior water resources. With taking full advantage of the water resources of Beijing in Yuan Dynasty, people improved the waterway transport condition of the capital, guaranteed the unobstructed and efficiency transport by the canals, cut Bahe River (坝河) and Tonghui River (通惠河) successively, and later cut New Jinkou River (金口新河) , that convey water to other canals. All of them made the prosperity for a long time of waterway transport in Beijing. Bahe River from the north of Beijing to Tongzhou, and Tonghui River from the south to Tongzhou, formed two major canals round Beijing, which send the goods and materials continually. " Hai zi " (Jishuitan, Shichahai predecessor today ) in Yuan Dynasty, was the terminal point quay transported as demonstrated the prosperous scene that" a convoy of ships, stem touching stern covered water ". But the New Jinkou River, which was guided from Yongding River (永定河) , so that had to face a lot of difficult technological problems, and the failure of the New Jinkou River becomes necessity of history.In the Ming Dynasty, because the re-construction of Beijing city and imperial palace, some canals and rivers of Beijing had been changed: North city wall was moved 2.5 southwards mostly, a part of Bahe River became sectional north city moat; A section of Tonghui river was enclosed in imperial city, so that Beijing city was no longer navigated. The ships that came from Tongzhou can only stop under Datong Bridge newly built at the East Bianmen. In addition, there were a lot of rivers and lakes were dredged in Ming Dynasty, to from near water systems, which let away lots of water from Tonghui River, thus caused the canals' water source insufficient in period of Ming and Qing, and it influenced the waterway transport.During the period of Ming and Qing Dynasty, because of many kinds of reasons, the spring amount was reduced in the suburb of Beijing, some even blanked, the water resources in Beijing had been lessen and it restricted the conditions of the waterway transport. So dredging the canals and rivers constantly for the normal operation of the canals was necessary in the period of Ming and Qing Dynasty, and must build the floodgates and dams, must develop the new water source and carry on more careful management to the canals. Repaired the canals in order to maintain transporting with them time and again in the Ming Dynasty, spent a large amount of manpower and materials, equally, for increase water of Tonghui river, the ruler enlarged Kunming Lake( 昆明湖), cut two stone channel from Xiangshan spring to expand to Kunming Lake in the Qing Dynasty.In ancient times, the ruler used to make use of the river systems of the outskirts to canalize the canals and launched canal-way transporting, in consideration of military and other factories. During Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasty, the canals had been excavated in the area in suburb of Beijing. Because these canals had a specific purpose, the transport task looked on as the changes of dynasties or a regular period was finished, thus wither away these canals gradually again either.After foundation the People's Republic of China, water conservancy construction was proved in Beijing, built the reservoir on a large scale in the outskirts, forming the inlet channel of Yongdi River Diversion Canal and Jingmi Diversion Canal. These proved the conditions of water usage and flood control. But the water conservancy construction at that time, because of receiving the limitation of the guiding thoughts, till 1990s, the urban river system had not been protected like other historical sites, water area of Beijing was reduced.Later stage of the 1990s, which the enhancement as the further development of the city size in Beijing, and living standard being improved, environmental awareness, the multiple functions of the urban water systems were notified by people gradually, Beijing begins to renovate, resume the canals and rivers in a more cost-effective manner, put forward " clear water, green bank, smooth navigation "as the goal of the city canal systems renovation.At present, "realization of water conservancy modernization "and" Green Olympics " are two principal themes that advance Beijing construction of water conservancy in an all-round way, the water conservancy construction of Beijing has entered a brand-new period. In city water conservancy construction, water saving, water resources protection are regarded as the focal point of the work; People are paying attention to build perfecting water environment, water culture and water view further in the urban river system.